Ghost of a Good Thing
by wordammunition
Summary: Harry and Ron have forgiven Draco since he joined the Light Side. Hermione doesn't share their feelings. What happened in their 7th year that made Draco turn away from the Dark Lord and his predetermined fate? DHr fic.
1. The Good Fight

My summaries always suck. Let me give you the setting. Hermione is the Transfiguration teacher at Hogwart's. Directly after graduating, she took up an apprenticeship with Professor McGonagall so she could retire. Harry, Ron, and Draco went into auror training with Mad Eye Moody in an attempt to defeat the Dark Lord. This story takes place 3 years after our Trio and Draco have graduated from Hogwart's.  
  
**Chapter One  
  
"The Good Fight"**  
  
"Absolutely not!" shrieked Hermione at the cowering figures of Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. "How can you even suggest that I set foot in the same house as that git?! Let alone sit down at the same table as him. Are you OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"  
  
Harry and Ron had expected Hermione to be a little upset at the news of the new dinner party plans for New Year's Eve, but they hadn't expected an all out war.  
  
"Mione, if Harry and I can work with him and even be his friend, what makes you so sure that he's not an okay guy now? He's on our side!"  
  
"What makes me so sure?!" she shrieked, "I'll tell you what makes me so sure. Do you remember the conniving Malfoy I remember? I guess you forget ferret face's cutting remarks towards a certain best friend of yours for 7 LONG years. I can't believe you Ron! You used to loathe him! He called me a mudblood any chance he got! Now you want me to be civil to him because you say he's 'changed'? I find it hard to believe that Malfoy has made a complete turn around in just 3 years."  
  
"Listen Herm, it's not like we want you and Draco to be best friends. Ron and I just want him to spend some time away from the Manor. Since his father and mother died, I think he's gotten lonely. I'd rather have him surrounded by friends than stuck in a dark room with a house elf all night while he brings in the New Year."  
  
"Well isn't that considerate of you Potter," Hermione spat, "or should I say Pothead? That is what he used call you, right?" Hermione added condescendingly. "I didn't realize his happiness was more important than mine."  
  
Harry and Ron both sighed in frustration.  
  
Finally, Harry spoke up. "You know that your happiness is more important than his, but it's only one night. You don't even have to talk to him if you don't want to."  
  
Harry and Ron both looked at her with pleading eyes begging her to at least show up at the small gathering.  
  
Giving up, Hermione looked at her 2 best friends and nodded her head and let her shoulders sag.  
  
"You mean you'll come then?" Ron looked at her hopefully.  
  
"Yes, but I'm not sitting anywhere near him and I refuse to talk to him," she finished with force.  
  
"That's fine," Harry and Ron chimed in together.  
  
"So it's settled then?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes, yes. I'll be at your house at 7 o'clock. Do you need me to bring anything?"  
  
"Just your smile!" quipped Ron.  
  
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Harry and Ron left Hermione's transfiguration classroom at Hogwart's and thanked her again for changing her mind. When they got far enough away, they both let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"She really is mental that one," Ron said as he thought back to their early years at Hogwart's of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he had uttered the almost same exact phrase.  
  
Harry must have been reminiscing too. "Not much has changed...except for Draco that is." His last sentence brought Harry back to the present.  
  
"You know," started Ron, "I still can't figure out when Malfoy became Draco."  
  
They both seemed to ponder this and then it hit them.  
  
Draco Malfoy was always destined to become a Death Eater, a damn good one at that. He never questioned his father Lucius's judgment or morals when he was younger. He taunted those who weren't of pureblood families. He was the "Slytherin prince". Then something happened in his 7th year. No one knew exactly what, but Malfoy's whole outlook on life changed. Instead of lusting for power, he longed to destroy those you let the search for power consume them, mainly Lord Voldemort and his followers. Instead of receiving the Dark Mark, Draco pledged his allegiance to Dumbledore and the Light side. Draco was of course cut off from his family and destined to a life of poverty; or so he thought. Voldemort found out about Draco's lost allegiance to the Dark side and immediately executed Lucius and Narcissa for their incompetence. How could one of his most loyal and powerful followers not control at 18-year-old boy? It just didn't seem possible. Draco's parents never had a chance to change their will, so Draco inherited the Malfoy fortune and the Manor as well. These things all seemed trivial to him. He would rather defeat 'he-who-must-not-be-named' than own all the galleons and sickles in the world. Draco became an auror at the Ministry with Harry and Ron as soon as they graduated from Hogwart's. They didn't become friends at first because 7 years of snide remarks isn't easily forgotten. Eventually, they eased into their friendship when Draco earned their trust and reassured Harry and Ron that he really had changed.  
  
Harry and Ron were brought back to reality by someone clearing their throat.  
  
"Oh, Hello Professor Dumbledore!" Harry and Ron exclaimed in unison.  
  
"Hello Harry, Ron. Please, call me Albus. You've been out of school for quite some time now, and we are more like equals." There was a twinkle in his eye has he said equals, and Harry and Ron knew what he was referring to. Harry, Ron, and even Hermione had been working closely with the Order of the Phoenix since their 5th year at Hogwart's and Dumbledore had given them more than their fair share of difficult tasks to perform. Their magical powers had grown so much that these days, Voldemort should fear coming up against Harry and Ron almost as much and Dumbledore.  
  
"I believe," began Dumbledore, "that I have some very disturbing news. Please, follow me and we'll discuss it."  
  
A feeling of apprehension made Harry and Ron hesitate before following Dumbledore into his all-too-familiar office...

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A/N: This is my first fanfic. Hope you guys enjoyed. Sorry for the cliffhanger already. I don't even know where this story is going to go. Let me know what you think! Read and Review!!!


	2. This Ruined Puzzle

Disclaimer(that I forgot in the 1st chapter; forgive me): I do not own any of these characters or anything to do with this story except for the plot. These are all property of J.K. Rowling!  
  
**_text_** signifies flashback  
  
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**Chapter 2  
  
"This Ruined Puzzle"**  
  
When Harry and Ron left her room, Hermione sank into her chair and sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. She never wanted to come into contact with Draco after they left Hogwart's.  
  
"Did I just call him Draco?" she asked herself subconsciously.  
  
Her mind was racing and the flood of emotions that filled her body was foreign to her. She hadn't felt like this since...well...since her last year at Hogwart's...  
  
_** Hermione and Draco were named head boy and girl their 7th year of school. This came as no surprise to most of the staff and students because they were the top two students in their year. They lived in the same quarters and shared a common room. A truce was made between the two rivals at the beginning of the year to make the year as productive as possible. Friendship was out of the question, but they at least managed to refrain from referring to each other as "Mudblood" and "Ferret Face" for the most part. It was during this time that Draco seemed to change. No one actually took notice while he was changing because Lord Voldemort was on the rise and they had more important things to worry about, but once the war of Dark against Light calmed down, a new Draco emerged. Most of the Slytherins had long since taken their place by their parents' side at the meetings of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, but Draco remained behind. It was later discovered that he refused the Dark Mark and pledged his allegiance to Dumbledore and the Light Side. No one quite understood his motives behind his actions, so he wasn't trusted easily. Hermione was the only one who knew why Draco had actually switched sides so abruptly. She hadn't told anyone and didn't plan on it either...  
**_  
Hermione put these thoughts out of her mind as she looked down at her lesson plans for the upcoming spring term. She couldn't possibly dwell on Malfoy while more important things had to be taken care of.  
  
"Why?" she asked herself aloud, "Why bring him back into my life when I was just ready to let him go..."  
  
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Harry and Ron took seats in Dumbledore's office and awaited the news that he would inevitably tell them.  
  
"It has come to my attention," began Dumbledore, "that the Dark Lord plans to attack Hogwart's at the beginning of the next fall term." Harry and Ron both sat up straighter and listened more attentively. "He believes that it is easier to influence young, naïve minds. I don't have to remind you of the incident with Ginny Weasley in her first year here. I fear that he may gain some followers if he succeeds in infiltrating Hogwart's. I'm not quite sure of the exact date of the attack, but our very own Sorting Hat has forseen grave danger and many deaths of both the Light and the Dark Sides.  
  
"Professor...I mean, Albus, are you sure the Sorting Hat said that Voldemort was coming to Hogwart's?" As Harry said the name of his arch nemesis, Ron flinched for an instant. He still wasn't accustomed to you-know-who's name being used so freely. Harry and Dumbledore seemed to ignore Ron's actions as Dumbledore answered Harry's question.  
  
"Oh, I'm quite sure Mr. Potter. As you know, our Sorting Hat has always been a bit clairvoyant when it comes to the events that will take place in the near future. I will remind of the time in your 7th year when it foretold of a certain "Slytherin prince" becoming a very prominent part of the fight against Voldemort."  
  
Harry remembered that part of the Hat's song very well.  
  
_**...Before this year comes to a close, **_

_**the Slytherin prince will bear many woes. **_

_**He has to make a choice in this war to decide who is right, **_

_**In the end he will choose the side that is light...  
**_  
It had gone on to say why Draco was joining the ranks of Harry, Ron, Dumbledore, and the Order of the Phoenix, but this part of the Sorting Hat's song didn't mean much to Harry at the time so he had long since forgotten it.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat, leaned forward, peered over his glasses, and touched his fingertips together. Harry and Ron were so accustomed to hearing bad news after he took this position that they braced themselves for the worst.  
  
"I believe you two already know what I'm going to ask of you."  
  
They had an idea, but remained silent so Dumbledore could finish his thoughts.  
  
"Instead of going back to Grimauld Place, I ask that you two, along with Draco, remain here over the spring and summer in order to protect the castle and teach the older students, willing to fight, some Defense Against the Dark Arts. As you both know, the DADA teacher hasn't always been helpful, and I fear that even our brightest students wouldn't stand a chance against a Death Eater."  
  
Without hesitation Harry agreed. "Of course I'll stay."  
  
Ron nodded his head slowly. He was a bit more reluctant but knew that it would be in the best interest of everyone in the magic world if the best aurors were all present in this time of need.  
  
"It's settled then," finalized Dumbledore. "Please inform Draco of our plans, and I'll see all three of you back here after the Christmas holidays."  
  
They said their goodbyes, and Harry and Ron departed from Dumbledore's office as Fawkes went up in flames.  
  
As they passed the Great Hall, Harry turned to Ron and groaned.  
  
"What's the matter, Harry? Does your scar hurt?"  
  
"No, it's not that. It's just..." Harry paused. "Do you know how mad Mione's going to be with us for saying Draco could come along and live here?! Here as in within the same castle's walls where he first tormented us. Here as in the place where she, up until 2 weeks from now, didn't and wouldn't have to deal with any snide remarks and dirty looks. Here as in..."  
  
"I get it Harry!" Ron cut in because Harry looked as though he might burst from all his hysterics. "She should be able to understand and let things go by now. We have! What makes her so different from us? If anything, Draco tormented you in school worse than her. Did something happen between them or something?"  
  
"I'm not sure Ron, but I am sure that we have to break this news to her easily. And if something did happen between the 2 of them, we're going to have to be the one's to resolve it..."  
  
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A/N: Here's chapter 2...Hope you're enjoying so far. Please review!!!


	3. Light in your eyes

Disclaimer: I own nothing...probably not even the plot! It all belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling.  
  
Thanks for the reviews. This chapter will reveal what Hermione knows about Draco...  
  
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**Chapter 3  
  
Light in your eyes**  
  
Christmas had passed and New Year's Eve was swiftly approaching. Hermione had thought of every excuse in the book to tell her friends so she wouldn't have to attend the party, but she couldn't think of any convincing enough. She could cast a spell on herself to make her appear to be sick, she thought, but that was so childish and elementary. She let out a sigh.  
  
"I guess I have to go," she spoke to herself while looking in the mirror.  
  
"Yes, dear," replied the mirror, "I'd think it best that you go and finally finish what you started."  
  
"Oh shut up!" Hermione shouted, "I didn't ask for your opinion!"  
  
She muttered some choice words under her breathe as she left her bathroom. She had decided to stay at Hogwart's over Christmas break since she had nowhere else to go. Her parents had died almost 3 years ago, and the rest of her family had moved to America. Ron had offered her a place at the Burrow for the holidays, but Hermione had graciously declined saying that seeing Ron & Lavender and Harry & Ginny snogging all the time was not among her favorite things to watch. Besides, she had lessons to prepare for and books to read. She was used to be alone.  
  
Hermione curled up into a ball on a couch in her small common room full of books and ancient art. The fire crackled in the fireplace and the warm glow from it brought out the specks of gold in her sad, brown eyes. Her thoughts wandered to days long passed. As she drifted off to sleep, a memory of a bushy-haired girl and a blonde haired boy laughing and smiling haunted her dreams...  
  
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The day of the party finally arrived and Harry and Ginny's apartment was bustling with excitement.  
  
"Ginny, can you grab a bottle of wine?"  
  
"Red or white, love?"  
  
"Uh, red," replied Harry. "I want to get you drunk...and fast!"  
  
He snuck up behind his fiancé and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. She giggled and tilted her head to look at his face. She turned around, quickly pecked him on his lips, escaped from his embrace, and ran up the stairs with the bottle of wine. Harry laughed and followed her.   
  
The couple had been together since Harry's 7th year, the same year Ron and Lavender had started seeing each other. Harry and Ron had matured by their 6th year and most of the girls at Hogwart's had taken notice, even the Slytherins. The trio had turned into more of a duo, and Hermione was left to immerse herself in her studies for the better part of her last 2 years at Hogwart's. Harry and Ron only came back to comfort Hermione when her parents were killed. Even their consoling words were not enough to return Hermione to her previous carefree state. Harry and Ron had seen a change in their friend. A numb, 'angsty' teenager that had given up hope replaced her former self. Hermione sought refuge in her Head duties and studying for the N.E.W.T.S. Harry and Ron worried about her but Harry had gone through the same thing when Sirius died and knew Hermione had a strong enough will to overcome her loss by herself. What Harry didn't know was that she was thrown into depression, and it was an unknown source of strength that had pulled her out of the deep recesses of her mind...  
  
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Ron and Lavender had come over early that day to help Harry and Ginny prepare for the night's events. Harry was still worried about Hermione and Draco being within 10 feet of each other, but Ron had assured him that Hermione was 21 and should at least be able to handle one evening with Draco.  
  
Seven o'clock finally rolled around and the doorbell rang. Hermione stood there in black slacks and a form fitting deep green turtleneck. Her curves were accentuated, and her straightened hair framed her face and made her look nothing short of stunning.  
  
"Hermione! " Ginny squealed as she ran from the kitchen to embrace her friend. "I'm so glad you came! Putting all that stuff about Draco behind you! He really does care you know..." This last part was no louder than a whisper, and only Hermione heard it.  
  
Hermione looked at her friend curiously but returned the hug remembering that she had told her friend of the truce she had made her 7th year.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Lavender all greeted Hermione and they gathered in the sitting room to await the arrival of the rest of the guests.  
  
Seamus, Parvati, Neville, and Dean all came within the next 10 minutes. Wine was poured and the former Gryffindors settled into their normal reminiscent banter.   
  
"So, how's Hogwart's Hermione?" Neville asked.  
  
"I love it! I couldn't have asked for a better job. The children are sometimes a bit unruly," she frowned, "but when I threaten to deduct house points, they quiet down." She finished her statement with a smile, proud of her authority and unwillingness to favor even her former house.  
  
All the occupants of the room shared knowing glances, and they were all positive that Hermione had indeed filled Professor McGonagall's shoes if not overcompensated her stern conduct.   
  
"I wonder where Draco could be," Harry pondered out loud. "It's almost 8 and he still isn't here."  
  
"Doesn't surprise me," Hermione mumbled under her breath.  
  
Ron and Harry both shot her glares, and she looked innocently back at them.   
  
"I'm sure he's just..." Lavender was cut off by the sound of the doorbell.  
  
"...at the door," Harry finished for her and gave another quick glance at Hermione before letting Draco in.  
  
"Sorry bout that Potter. I got held up at work again. Fudge always wants to know more information than he needs to. I'm getting tired of trying to defend what we're doing...Oh...Hello everyone. How are you doing?"  
  
Replies of great and fine were chorused throughout the room. Only a certain brown-haired woman sulked and muttered, 'Worse now that you're here...'  
  
The party continued and they finally sat down at the dinner table. Lavender and Ginny were flitting around the kitchen and serving the food.   
  
Hermione was on her 3rd glass of wine and hoped that it would ease the pain of having to sit next to Draco. Harry had tried to strategically sit Hermione at the opposite end of the table from Draco, but somehow, as soon as Hermione took her seat, Draco appeared in the seat next to her.  
  
"Hello Granger," Malfoy drawled," and how are you on this lovely evening?"  
  
"Well, let's think about this Malfoy," Hermione began exasperatedly, "I'm sitting at a table right next to one of few people I'd hoped to never come in contact with after graduation; and I'm feeling quite tipsy, so I will inevitably have a horrendous hangover tomorrow morning. How would you be feeling?"  
  
"Good to see that you haven't quite let go of the past yet. Here..." Draco handed Hermione a small vile with a clear blue liquid in it. "Drink this and you won't have a hangover tomorrow."  
  
She shoved it back into Draco's hand. "I'd think that a former head boy could come up with a more creative way of killing me. Poison is overrated."  
  
"Suit yourself. I just wanted to help a friend."  
  
"Don't you dare call me your friend Malfoy," Hermione spat in hushed tones, "You know just as well as I do that we can never be friends."  
  
"Never be friends again...that's what you meant...right Hermione?"  
  
Hermione looked at Draco incredulously and hoped that no one else had heard his last remark. She was surprised to find a look of betrayal wash over his face for a brief instant instead of his usual smirk. Breaking the gaze, Draco turned his head and joined in the conversation with the rest of the company.  
  
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The rest of dinner passed by uneventfully. Hermione only had to speak to Draco when she wanted him to pour her another glass of wine. He lifted an eyebrow at her, but filled her glass and placed the blue vile by her plate. She took the blue liquid down like a shot of liquor and continued sipping the wine hoping that the potion would work and she wouldn't have a pounding headache the following day.  
  
After desert was served, they all moved back to the living room. Ginny and Lavender remained in the kitchen to tidy up before serving tea and coffee.   
  
Hermione rose, grabbed her purse, and walked out onto the balcony. She had hoped to get away for a few minutes to smoke her cigarette. She lit up her fag and inhaled deeply. Hermione looked at the ground and noticed a shadow that fell to her right. She whipped around and found Draco standing there, smirking at her.  
  
"What do you want?" Draco either didn't notice the condescending tone dripping from her words, or he chose to ignore it.  
  
"Just came outside to get some fresh air. Seems that I can't get that here though. Still smoking I see?" Draco's question reminded Hermione that he had been the one that influenced her to start. She stared back and him and felt herself calming down a bit.  
  
"See you aren't smoking anymore. I did that for a while, but tonight seemed perfect for picking up the habit again. I only find it necessary to have a cigarette when you're around." An infamous smirk crossed Draco's face and it changed into a smile, something she hadn't seen for over 3 years. She found she missed it somehow...  
  
"How sweet of you Granger. Since we're relishing in old times, hand me one of those cigarettes and we'll reminisce about the good times we had."  
  
Hermione reluctantly handed him a cigarette and a lighter and then looked away while he lit it up.  
  
"You know Draco," Hermione began while inhaling her cigarette, "I'd rather not talk about what happened our 7th year. I don't want to relive those times anytime soon."  
  
Draco was surprised that she was the one that brought the topic up, but he took it in stride and began the speech that he had practiced in his mind since their graduation from Hogwart's.  
  
"Damn it Granger! You're wrong," Draco dropped his cigarette as he stated this and received a glare from Hermione but continued anyway. "You should talk about those times...we should talk about those times. I don't know about you, but I would go back and do it all over again. Do you remember? Or have you wiped everything from your memory because I was in it? I'll tell you what I remember. I remember a girl and a boy being forced to share a common room together, but that girl took it upon herself to propose a truce. I remember the boy finally realizing that purebloods just might not be better than everyone else because his fellow roommate was smarter than him and was definitely not a pureblood. I remember the same girl coming back to her common room one night in tears and confiding in her worst enemy about how her best friends were leaving her behind yet again. I remember that boy planning to use this information against her, but that boy finally grew some compassion and kept her secrets to himself. Do you wanna know where he learned to care from? From you."  
  
Hermione just stared at Draco incredulously, but he continued.  
  
"I actually got to know that girl back then. The Hermione I knew somehow showed the cold-hearted Draco that his father wasn't always right. I learned to see people as individuals and didn't define them by their family or friends or status in life. Do you understand how hard that was for me? I was raised to be an elitist and planned to live the rest of my life that way. Do you know how difficult it was to see the look on my terrified mother's face as she heard me say that I wouldn't take the Dark Mark? She knew my father would blame her side of the family and she would be punished severely. Have you ever seen someone you care deeply about be under the Cruciatus curse for so long that you're not sure if they'll survive?" He paused to gather his thoughts and then began speaking again, this time in a calmer voice.  
  
"I loved that person back then." He avoided eye contact with her, but he could feel her eyes piercing into his body to see if he was telling the truth. "I don't know how or when it happened, but you made me fall in love with you. Maybe it was how after all my arrogance, you still found it in your heart to accept me. Maybe it was when you cried yourself to sleep while I sat there and saw the vulnerable side of you. Maybe it was when you asked me how I was after I'd gotten back from the Manor and actually sat there to listen to my answer. Maybe it was how even after you knew your parents were killed by my father that you still remained my friend. Maybe it was how you really saw me for who I was. I hid my insecurities with a smirk and insults for over 6 years and you somehow managed to break down my walls and reach out to me. I don't know Hermione..." He said this part facing her. Hermione looked into Draco's eyes and saw what she had feared. She saw kindness. She turned away and hoped that this was some kind of cruel joke, but in the back of mind, she wanted it to be true. Draco's voice interrupted her thoughts.  
  
"You know or you should know that part of the reason why I didn't take the Dark Mark was you...right?" His hand cupped her chin and lifted her eyes to his. He saw what he had hoped for, a small flicker of light that meant she had missed him as much as he had missed her. "A huge part. I knew I could never be in your life if I was on the Dark side, so I chose you over everything I knew in life. After graduation I expected that you and I would remain friends, but you disappeared..."  
  
"I disappeared?!" This outburst startled Draco, and he drew back his hand from her face. "You never wrote! What happened to 'I'm going to write to you. I can't live my life without you in it'. It was all lies Malfoy! The whole time we were friends I knew that you could be so much more than what your father expected of you; but when I got home, I never heard from you. When we left Hogwart's, I thought that things would be different and we could tell everyone that we were friends and even more than friends. Maybe you don't remember that part, but I do..."  
  
Draco cut her off. "What do you mean I don't remember?" Hermione could see the anger building up in the man standing beside her. "I haven't forgotten that kiss and I certainly have not forgotten what else came after that. I wrote you everyday for a year, and I never got a return owl. How do you think that made me feel?"  
  
"I never got any letters from you. I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
Draco grabbed her shoulders. "I sent them. I swear to you I did. Most of them were telling of how I missed you; and after I never got a reply, I assumed that I had scared you off and you wanted me completely out of your life."  
  
"Scare me off? Draco, how could you think that?! I thought you'd just used me for sex and then left me because I was a 'mudblood', not worthy of a pureblood's love." Hermione's shoulders relaxed, and she looked into Draco's eyes. "I didn't want to get hurt. My hopes were so high and I was left with nothing those months after we parted...nothing..."  
  
"You know that I cared about you. You might not have known that I loved you, but you definitely knew I would never betray you like that." Draco took Hermione's hand into his and looked deep into her brown eyes.  
  
"I guess I knew, but it was easier to tell myself that you'd used me and have me hate you then allow myself to miss you all these years."  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I tried to write, but my father's old owl must have mixed up the paths and delivered it to someone else."  
  
"I think I can solve this problem for you." This voice didn't come from the reunited lovers, but from a 3rd party's mouth.  
  
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A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger. I'm almost done Chapter 4, so you'll only have to wait a few days for it! Thanks for the reviews! They keep me writing... 


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